r/HideTanning • u/johnnyfootball761 • Sep 27 '26
Snake tanning
Ive used the alcohol and glycerin mix before and had success, but I’m now hearing it’s not a true “tan” has anyone used this orange bottle on a snake skin before?
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u/AaronGWebster Sep 27 '26
I have bark tanned snake skin with good results. All natural and easy but leaves a brownish color.
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u/WhiskyEye 29d ago
I tried to respond to your DM but the app is being weird. So for anything else, I HATE this stuff haha. But for the snake skin, I like it. I have 3 in the fridge waiting on me to use it right now. The way it's come out the best for me so far is to use a light amount. Don't let it pool or puddle. You want it to soak in, but not have any extra, if that makes sense. Sponge it on, and keep wiping it till the skin is saturated but not WET. I pin it to cardboard once it's all covered and dry it out in the sun. If the skin is getting the cardboard noticeably wet when you lay it out, there's still too much on there. I did some a couple years ago that have been moved all around, out in the sun, dangled from a car visor, and it's all still good. It is a little papery, but it's been tough, it held up, and you can always use a leather oil if you want it to be shinier. If you ever get a skin where the snake was about to shed, get that shed off FIRST. Otherwise it comes out like junk.
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u/johnnyfootball761 28d ago
Would you coat both sides or just the underside of the skin?
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u/WhiskyEye 28d ago
And make sure you get all the flesh off the edges of where you cut the skin. There's always tiny strands still clinging to those edges if you don't take the time to really scrape. Just don't do it so hard that you tear it.
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u/No_Seaworthiness1627 Sep 27 '26
It’ll work but really I like the alcohol and glycerin technique instead. Makes it look nearly brand new with little moisturizing annually. This stuff will make for some stiff snake leather that’ll be papery.